This invention relates to a feed composition which limits feed intake by animals, preferably swine, and a process for employing the same in order to obtain an economical and efficient means for the free choice feeding of animals.
In the feeding of animals, particularly swine, it is often very advantageous from the standpoint of economics as well as convenience for the animal to be self fed which means that the animals are offered a feed supplement or feed ration on a free choice basis without the periodic feeding of a rationed amount by a farmer or rancher each day. A disadvantage however of self feeding any typ of animal is that they frequently tend to over eat feed supplements or feed rations and consequently get a higher intake of feed ration than is necessary for the proper level of weight gain or weight maintenance. This results in an additional and unnecessary expense to the farmer in providing unnecessary amounts of protein or feed to the animal.
It would therefore be desirable to limit the intake of feed for animals such as swine, particularly only to the amount that is needed for weight gain or weight maintenance without consumption of more than is required for this purpose. U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,170 describes the use of sulfur as an appetite depressant or feed intake limiter for swine. A number of other compositions have been proposed for the intake limitation of various species of animals although these have principally been directed to the self feeding of cattle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,676 for example, describes a feed intake limiting composition for cattle which comprises a mixture of fish oil, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate and meat meal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,319 describes a composition for limiting the feed supplement intake of ruminants which includes oleoresin capsicum in addition to meat meal and a salt.
While all of these compositions have proven to be extremely desirable and effective as intake limiters, nevertheless, a continuing need exist for other limiters which will effectively control the intake of animals such as swine and accordingly, this has necessitated the development of the feed intake limiting composition of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a feed supplement or feed composition which is self limiting insofar as feed intake when fed to an animal.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to develop a feed supplement or feed composition which can be eaten by animals such as swine on a free choice basis without over consumption by the animal.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a feed supplement or feed composition which provides a convenient and economical means of limiting the feed supplement intake in swine.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling the feed intake of swine by the use of a feed composition containing an effective amount of a new feed intake limiting material.